7 Tips to Make Meetings More Interesting

Include Vibrant, Engaging Visuals

We’re not talking your dad’s lame PowerPoint here. Slide after slide of numbers and huge blocks of text would put anyone to sleep. A good rule of thumb for any presentation: Show, don’t tell. There’s no point in just reading the words off a screen everyone can see — your coworkers are literate, right?

Try this: Limit the words on each slide to five or six, just enough to make your point. Use the rest of the slides to illustrate what you’re talking about. Use pictures, graphics, and even video to get the message across. Find images that will get a reaction from the audience, whether it be understanding, shock, or even humor. And use vibrant colors, such as reds and purples. The standard blues and grays are just too calming. Do you want to put everyone to sleep?

Use Brainstorming Techniques

Don’t let your meeting get shut down by people shooting down each other’s ideas. If you think your ideas will be disregarded, you’ll be less likely to offer them up in the first place. Put every idea on the table without judging or criticizing, and then discuss which ones are the best. Everyone has to feel comfortable participating.

Try this: When brainstorming, give everyone a topic and have them start writing down random words and phrases in a stream of consciousness. Don’t pause, don’t over-think, just write. Then, have everyone go around and read 5–10 of their best words or phrases. Ideally, should trigger other, fresher ideas from the group as a whole.

Use Games and Toys to Stimulate

There is a reason we gives young children games and toys to help occupy their time — it helps stimulate parts of their brains. Games help with problem solving and deductive reasoning and get creativity flowing. While it may seem silly, introducing toys and games into a meeting can actually help with the productivity of the meeting as a whole.

Try this: Hand out small Nerf guns, and every time someone has a great idea, they get to shoot one of the other participants. Or have everyone illustrate their ideas using Play-Doh. Or turn your brainstorming session into a game of Pictionary. Have people draw their ideas without speaking and have the others guess. Everyone will want to play and the ideas will come pouring out.